Home Match Day Thread 16/4/24 Oxford United v Lincoln City

[Northstandboy]

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Interview - Des Buckingham

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COYY

Let’s do this!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

It seems obvious that you deploy Brannagan further forward but then are we to accept that most of the attacks that currently see us go wide and get a good ball in would actually stop 2 phases sooner because Cam has had a shot? That’s the conundrum; is the gain of the odd wonder goal (have we had one this season from him? Genuinely can’t remember) worth compensating for? Are his set pieces good enough that he must play?

I think the answer to the last question is a definite 'no'. In fact when he *is* playing I'd rather someone else took some of the dead ball kicks (with the exception of the penalties, which he is good at). His corners are often straight to the keeper and are too 'floaty' and his free kicks are like his penalties but with people in the way! I also think he'd be more use at corners lurking on the edge of the box. I admire his whole hearted approach and I do like the fact that is is one of the players more likely to actually carry the ball forward, but I do sometimes get the feeling that he gets so frustrated he tries to do it all himself.

 

[Benox]

Oh don’t get me wrong, I think that’s exactly what Des sent him out to do yesterday - “go collect it and find Murphy and Dale faster” and that’s absolutely fine, if your wingers aren’t completely spent, as you say. It was really just us banging our same head against the same wall and we need more answers that what we gave. Brannagan to me just brought down the professionalism and upped the chaos and panic which wasn’t what we needed. Never any question about his commitment, but is the team better off playing without his distraction?

It seems obvious that you deploy Brannagan further forward but then are we to accept that most of the attacks that currently see us go wide and get a good ball in would actually stop 2 phases sooner because Cam has had a shot? That’s the conundrum; is the gain of the odd wonder goal (have we had one this season from him? Genuinely can’t remember) worth compensating for? Are his set pieces good enough that he must play?

It's a shame that Burey has committed a seemingly unforgivable sin that makes him no longer selectable, as from what we saw of him he would have been the perfect Murphy / Dale replacement last night in terms of his ability to run with the ball at pace and beat a man.

I share you thoughts on Brannagan. He needs to show a bit more self control around the box as I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been much more free flowing when the move doesn't stop everytime Brannagan gets it and shoots from 30 yards out. I didn't mind it so much last night, we were chasing the game and needed a goal. But he's had 83 shots from outside the box this season and scored 3 goals from them. One of those was a free kick. It's a terrible success rate.

 

[wolvercoteyellow]

It's a shame that Burey has committed a seemingly unforgivable sin that makes him no longer selectable, as from what we saw of him he would have been the perfect Murphy / Dale replacement last night in terms of his ability to run with the ball at pace and beat a man.

I share you thoughts on Brannagan. He needs to show a bit more self control around the box as I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been much more free flowing when the move doesn't stop everytime Brannagan gets it and shoots from 30 yards out. I didn't mind it so much last night, we were chasing the game and needed a goal. But he's had 83 shots from outside the box this season and scored 3 goals from them. One of those was a free kick. It's a terrible success rate.

Is that really true?
You know that 73% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

 

[Benox]

Is that really true?
You know that 73% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Haha. I promise I didn’t make it up.

 

[Benox]

Haha. I promise I didn’t make it up.

Although 18 were free kicks, so lets be generous and say 2 goals from 65 (non-free kick) shots from outside the box.

 

[Swaby39]

It's a shame that Burey has committed a seemingly unforgivable sin that makes him no longer selectable, as from what we saw of him he would have been the perfect Murphy / Dale replacement last night in terms of his ability to run with the ball at pace and beat a man.

I share you thoughts on Brannagan. He needs to show a bit more self control around the box as I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been much more free flowing when the move doesn't stop everytime Brannagan gets it and shoots from 30 yards out. I didn't mind it so much last night, we were chasing the game and needed a goal. But he's had 83 shots from outside the box this season and scored 3 goals from them. One of those was a free kick. It's a terrible success rate.

Burey plus filling a squad slot with Edwards who was expected back around this time but still on crutches. With so much dependence on the wide players, we needed reliable. Dale you don’t expect an issue with but we’re in the hands of the football gods hoping Browne and Murphy can stay fit and play almost every minute between them between now and maybe a Wembley final. I suppose if stretched it’s easy enough to put Goodrham out there but he isn’t as explosive as Murphy, nor is he as fleet-footed as Dale, so we’d lose a big part of our game.

Massive shame we lost Stan Mills and Goodwin not showing any signs of fitness costs us the luxury of Harris as a wide option as well.

 

[Oxford84]

Well one loss since New Year’s Day, 11 wins from 18 games (I think?), suggests they probably do know a thing or two about finding solutions in games. I doubt they’ve had their way in all of those games but haven’t lost them. We needed to not lose yesterday.

We were just a tad entitled yesterday. On another day maybe we go ahead but just like the play offs, there’s isn’t another day and you have to go ahead in those scenarios. Lessons to be learned.

Thats because they are well drilled in that one game plan, they arent going to turn into 1970s Brazil when the cheat ball doesnt work are they!?

 

[Oxford84]

The diagonal balls look fantastic… but in practice what you then have is a winger quite isolated 1vs1 with a lot of work to do. I could understand it more if Cam striking the ball triggered the full back to make a lung-buster to get beyond the winger to make a 2vs1 but we didn’t attempt that.

We’ve all had a good moan about the referee but why is Cam stood there arguing with him and the Lincoln players at every opportunity when it’s clear he won’t give us the time back? He wasn’t born yesterday and should know better. Walk away and let’s get on with it.

God knows where we’d be without him at times this season (and last) but he did his selection hopes for Friday no favours imo.

Isnt 1 v 1 exactly what we want our winger to be up against rather than multiple players to beat?

 

[Followtheox1]

After last night's game, I can conclude I hate Lincoln and their fans. I am looking forward to them bottling it against Cheltenham at the weekend after we beat Stevenage.

I don't mind their fans and I thought they were well organised and tactically spot on. On their run of form, they have spanked teams 5-0 so I suspect they have different ways of playing and winning games. Fair play to them.

 

[tonyw]

He got their pen wrong but can see why it was given and another reminder that Rubin should be strongly discouraged from doing anything in and around our own penalty area.

Going back to the pen, having watched the replays - I think this is exactly right.

Watching live, I thought it was a pen. After watching the replays multiple times, Ruben does get a toe on the ball (enough to knock it onto the post) before the Lincoln man goes over him. But it's what Americans would call a bang-bang play.....and one where there's likely a 50:50 chance that a crap League One ref like Swarby will give it.

As the Lincoln guy is reaching the ball, both Sam Long and Cumming are in a good position to block a follow up shot so there really was no need for Ruben to be diving in full length there - it's just asking for trouble. Given his howler against Bolton as well, we might have to instigate a 'never enter your own penalty area' rule for him at this point......


Leigh is also at fault for the goal - in fact, I'd be faulting him more for that than his occasional off-target passing, which happens to defenders at this level. He's pushed up to make a tackle when JMc is already there and he's out of position and has left a gaping hole in behind him as a result, which Sorenson exploits. If their striker buries the simple chance, which was way easier than the one Harris missed (rather than making an utter horlicks of it, and getting the ball stuck between his feet) then we don't even have a penalty incident to discuss.

 

[Swaby39]

Isnt 1 v 1 exactly what we want our winger to be up against rather than multiple players to beat?

Yes, until it doesn’t work and it was really what Lincoln wanted too. Then I’d want something else but seemingly we didn’t on this occasion and just kept going for it.

 

[Wallop]

Is that really true?
You know that 73% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Rubbish - it’s 76.7%

 

[ttg17]

I don't mind their fans and I thought they were well organised and tactically spot on. On their run of form, they have spanked teams 5-0 so I suspect they have different ways of playing and winning games. Fair play to them.

Grudgingly agreed. They were horrible last night, but in the grand scheme of things I’d rather, if it’s not to be us, it was then getting the last playoff spot rather than Blackpool, Steve Evans’ Stevenage or Leyton.

 

[Sarge]

Grudgingly agreed. They were horrible last night, but in the grand scheme of things I’d rather, if it’s not to be us, it was then getting the last playoff spot rather than Blackpool, Steve Evans’ Stevenage or Leyton.

Evans has departed Stevenage for Rotherham

 

[Nox]

I think a major problem with this system is that it requires that the midfield and front three, have high energy and great stamina. That we did against Posh. Last night we could not match the energy levels particularly in the second half. If players stop running and tracking back the system turns into 505. We then cannot create anything going forward. This is particularly true of teams like Lincoln, who are well drilled, very physical and very patient.
Most of the front 5 looked tired from early in the game.
If we had taken those chances it would have obviously been a different game.But this will happen, we need to be able to cope.
Looking forward, we need to bring in players who can play this system, because the likelyhood is many of the front five will struggle to play 2 games in a week throughout the season. Currently we have few viable replacements from the starting line up. Browne is still struggling for fitness, Gladwin is injured, Henry is injured. The system is not for McGuane. We need more options, if this is our new DNA.

A brilliant analytical view on our set up.
You're right the five attacking players won't sustain those levels of energy for a whole season.
It's a very basic tactical set up, will work against the weaker sides where we aren't under much pressure.
Don't think it will be successful against the top teams on a consistent basis.
It's great when it all clicks as against Peterborough.
We need more than one way of playing, this system is easily nullified as the other night against Lincoln.
They stifled the wingers and stopped us creating much particularly in the second half.
Their manager done his homework and stopped us from playing.
It's either arrogance or inexperience to think one style of play fits all.
We need different set ups against different styles of play.

 

[Paul Cannell]

It's either arrogance or inexperience to think one style of play fits all.
We need different set ups against different styles of play.

Perhaps it's just that only a part of the squad has been rebuilt (and mostly to Manning's spec) since Robinson tried to destroy it?

 

[RgYellows]

Perhaps it's just that only a part of the squad has been rebuilt (and mostly to Manning's spec) since Robinson tried to destroy it?

Time on the training ground needed too.

 

[uptheus]

A brilliant analytical view on our set up.
You're right the five attacking players won't sustain those levels of energy for a whole season.
It's a very basic tactical set up, will work against the weaker sides where we aren't under much pressure.
Don't think it will be successful against the top teams on a consistent basis.
It's great when it all clicks as against Peterborough.
We need more than one way of playing, this system is easily nullified as the other night against Lincoln.
They stifled the wingers and stopped us creating much particularly in the second half.
Their manager done his homework and stopped us from playing.
It's either arrogance or inexperience to think one style of play fits all.
We need different set ups against different styles of play.

The fullbacks need to overlap the wingers (Murphy & Dale) to break the lines (when teams put 2 to 3 banks of players), thus, either creating space for our wingers or enabling them to pass to the over-lapping fullback. This would also create space inside to play through the middle, but the likes of Rodrigues is key to that which unfortunately he wasn’t on Tuesday night. In fact he was one of our poorest players e.g. by being weak and losing possession so many times.

When Leigh went forward on Tuesday we created our best chance (Goodrham), that’s because we broke their lines/banks of players. It means the other fullback needs to sit in if the other one has gone, and vice versa, plus the holding midfielder needs to sit in too to ensure we’re not caught out on the break etc.

It also didn’t help that Leigh had a poor game Tuesday either. Too many touches to get the ball under control, meaning he was then too slow in moving/passing the next ball. Like I said in another thread, he seems to get the ball stuck under his body upon receiving the ball at times, meaning he needs one or two touches to get the ball under control, so by this time he’s either shut down/having to play a hurried pass putting the next player under pressure. But his attributes (strength, heading, athleticism and sort of pace) sort of out weigh this negative! Because of this I think he’s better further up the pitch (wingback), hence the difficulty of whether to go with Bennett or him (Leigh) in a flat back 4!! Just think Bennett reads the game better from a defensive aspect, gets the ball under control quicker, plus moves the ball quicker, thus giving us a better chance of breaking quicker, but he’s obviously not as good at the other attributes (strength, athleticism, heading etc) that Leigh brings! Dilemma’s!

 

[christenedinjericho]

Unfortunately, when you keep the same team what after 15 mins destroyed Peterborough then the opposition head coach of the next supposedly 'lambs to the slaughter ' justs grills his side into how he/she expects us to play. Simple.

Keep the other side guessing at all times with tweaks and B*****s to what the masses think. If all of you thought by keeping the same side that this would work again without fatigue then.....

COYY'S

 

[TailsWeWin]

A brilliant analytical view on our set up.
You're right the five attacking players won't sustain those levels of energy for a whole season.
It's a very basic tactical set up, will work against the weaker sides where we aren't under much pressure.
Don't think it will be successful against the top teams on a consistent basis.
It's great when it all clicks as against Peterborough.
We need more than one way of playing, this system is easily nullified as the other night against Lincoln.
They stifled the wingers and stopped us creating much particularly in the second half.
Their manager done his homework and stopped us from playing.
It's either arrogance or inexperience to think one style of play fits all.
We need different set ups against different styles of play.

Why on earth was Harris allowed to play the last 20/30 minutes of the Peterboro game when the result was wrapped up? He was running on fumes ….. and then asked to display high levels of energy against Lincoln! Poor decision by Buckingham unfortunately.